"The Smile"
A legend and a myth, the Smile is as dangerous and illusive as a recluse spider, if not more so. Even the most serious of people have gone mad from a single glimpse of its wretched sneer. Though there is risk behind it, researching the Smile can prove to be intriguing and makes you question it even further. If you’ve never heard of the Smile, I suppose you’re wondering what this is about. The Smile is a mysterious image rumored to make people break out with schizophrenia and basically go mad. Considering the Smile is rumored to be a picture and nothing more, this may seem a bit ridiculous, but there are hundreds of people who can vouch for its existence. The Smile’s legend has always intrigued me and it could surely interest many more. As an amateur journalist, I knew the Smile would be an interesting subject to write about. Better yet, I had an appointment with one of its victims, a young woman named Rose Bradshaw. This interview showed potential. Rose was one of the few victims who weren’t completely mad, she was often considered to be a better case because she lived a fairly average life despite occasional mood swings where she would get upset and dazed. Most victims were endlessly tortured by the Smile, but being self-aware may have been even worse, you would always know what was coming around the corner and have no way to stop it. Either way, I was too excited to keep pondering about it. I had just received a phone call from Mr. Bradshaw telling me to head over. I think his wife had only accepted the interview because of my dominant interest, not because of the interview itself. Whatever the case, I was determined to get there despite the hour-long drive ahead of me. Sooner than expected, I arrived at Rose’s home and was amazed by the beautiful gardens and landscaping outside. It was obviously Rose’s way to distract herself when she began to think about the Smile. Walking to the doorstep, I noticed a doorbell which I immediately rang. I slim man with bloodshot eyes came stepped forward and let me come in. He acknowledged me as the journalist who had called and I, in turn, addressed him as Don Bradshaw. As we walked inside of the house, I noticed that everything was strategically placed and nothing seemed to be out of spot. Mr. Bradshaw sat down and gestured for me to set down in the chair adjacent to his. “My wife is in one of her moods right now, I am sure she will be down soon.” he said in a drained voice. After a short conversation, Rose came fumbling down the stairs with one hand on the railing and the other clutching her forehead. She plopped down in a chair in front of the television and attempted to change the channels despite it being turned off. Her husband kept his eyes on me, with blatant disregard toward her haziness. Though eager and anxious, I kept on waiting for Rose to become aware of her surroundings and fully wake up. As if my dreams had come true, she eventually walked up to me and said hello. She had unkempt bleach-blonde hair that was very lackluster. Her eyes were a dull green and despite her age, looked older than she should have. Momentarily, I would be asking her questions about the Smile. Once the interview began, I was an eager beaver and began throwing out big questions, the first being “What does the Smile look like?” “The Smile never takes a specific form, but is usually a man with nothing but a smile and a blank face. It seems ridiculous, but it haunts me nonetheless.” “Okay. Does it ever do anything?” “Occasionally I will hear a faint voice say ‘Spread the word.’” She droned “Speaking of this, about a month ago I received an unmarked manila envelope with a note reading the exact same words. Inside was a disk. I considered making my husband watch it, but it was more than I could bear.” “I honestly can’t think of much else to ask, thank you for your time.” “No, thank you. I need to talk to someone, occasionally.” I proceeded home and hadn’t heard from either of them for nearly a month when I received a letter from Mr. Bradshaw telling me that Rose had committed suicide and had told her to burn the disk. He told me that it made a strange sputtering sound as he lit it up. Definitely odd. Now, I am encroached with a decision. In my email inbox is a letter called “Smile” with one attachment. Should I open it? I’m not sure.